Israeli human rights organizations strongly condemned on Friday, January 2, far-right Israel’s decision to deregister international humanitarian organizations operating in the occupied Palestinian territory. “At a time of critical need in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, these measures further restrict access to life-saving assistance.”
A team of Médecins Sans Frontières at an hospital in Gaza (Photo: Médecins Sans Frontières)
According to the organizations, “In parallel with, and as part of, Israel’s assault on the people of Gaza, humanitarian access has been severely constrained since October 2023. Despite the ceasefire, essential aid—including food, medicine, shelter, and hygiene items—continues to be delayed or denied. The deregistration of 37 INGOs undermines principled humanitarian action, endangers staff and communities, and compromises effective aid delivery. In the West Bank, as Israeli military, institutional, and settler violence reach unprecedented levels, NGOs play a crucial role in supporting the most vulnerable communities. International humanitarian organizations are essential to reaching those most in need, supporting local partners, and ensuring accountability and transparency; blocking their work puts lives at risk.”
“Israel, as the occupying power, has an obligation to ensure adequate supplies to Palestinian civilians. Not only is it failing to fulfil that obligation, but it is also preventing others from filling the gap. The new registration framework violates core humanitarian principles of independence and neutrality. Conditioning aid on political alignment, penalizing support for legal accountability, and requiring the disclosure of sensitive personal data of Palestinian staff and their families all constitute a breach of duty of care and expose workers to surveillance and harm. This weaponization of bureaucracy institutionalizes barriers to aid and forces vital organizations to suspend operations.”
“Ensuring access to humanitarian aid is a legal obligation, not a discretionary choice. We call on the Government of Israel to immediately halt deregistration proceedings, remove barriers to humanitarian and human rights action, and allow international organizations to operate safely and effectively. We also urge governments and the international community to act urgently to protect the independence of humanitarian organizations and ensure aid reaches those who need it most, ” says Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, Akevot Institute for Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Research, Association for Civil Rights in Israel, B’Tselem, Bimkom – Planning and Human Rights, Breaking the Silence, Combatants for Peace, Emek Shaveh, Gisha – Legal Center for Freedom of Movement, Haqel: In Defense of Human Rights, Ir Amim, Hamoked – Center for the Defense of the Individual, Human Rights Defenders Fund, Machsom Watch – Women against the Occupation and for Human Rights, Physicians for Human Rights Israel, Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, Yesh Din and Zazim – Community Action.
According to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), one of the largest medical organisations operating in Gaza, “The new requirements threaten to withdraw registration from INGOs beginning 1 January. This non-registration would prevent organisations including MSF from providing essential services to people in Gaza and the West Bank.”
With Gaza’s health system already destroyed, independent and experienced humanitarian organisations losing access to respond would be a disaster for Palestinians. MSF calls on the Israeli authorities to ensure that INGOs can maintain and continue their impartial and independent response in Gaza. The already restricted humanitarian response cannot be further dismantled.
“In the last year, MSF teams have treated hundreds of thousands of patients and delivered hundreds of millions of litres of water,” says Pascale Coissard, MSF emergency coordinator for Gaza. “MSF teams are trying to expand activities and support Gaza’s shattered health system; in 2025 alone, we carried out almost 800,000 outpatient consultations and handled more than 100,000 trauma cases, and if we obtain registration, we plan to continue strengthening our activities in 2026.”
MSF provides a vast amount of life-saving healthcare, yet even this is not enough to meet the overwhelming needs of people in Gaza. In 2025 alone, with a budget of more than €100 million, MSF teams handled over 100,000 trauma cases; managing the care for over 400 beds; performed 22,700 surgical operations on nearly 10,000 patients; carried out almost 800,000 outpatient consultations; administered 45,000 vaccinations; assisted in more than 10,000 deliveries; provided more than 40,000 individual mental health sessions and group sessions for over 60,000 people; distributed more than 700 million liters of water and produced nearly 100 million liters of clean water.
For 2026, MSF has committed an estimated 100-120 million euros for its humanitarian response in Gaza. Many of the services provided by MSF are largely unavailable elsewhere in Gaza due to the destruction of the health system. “If MSF loses its access to Gaza in 2026, due to the Israeli authorities, a large portion of people in Gaza will lose access to critical medical care, water, and lifesaving support. MSF’s activities serve nearly half a million people in Gaza through our vital support to the destroyed health system.”
